While he stood there motionless his thoughts were suspended, and his
senses, gaining a brief mastery, became almost feverishly alert; he felt
the night wind in his face, he heard the ceaseless stirring of the leaves,
and he saw the sparkle of the gravel in the yellow shine that streamed from
the library windows. But with his first step, his first movement, there
came a swift recoil of his anger, and he told himself with a touch of
youthful rhetoric, "that come what would, he was going to the devil--and
going speedily."
He had reached the gate and his hand was upon the latch, when he heard the
house door open and shut behind him and his name called softly from the
steps.
He turned impulsively and stood waiting, while Betty came quickly through
the lamplight that fell in squares upon the drive.
"Oh, come back, Dan, come back," she said breathlessly.
With his hand still on the gate he faced her, frowning.
"I'd die first, Betty," he answered.
She came swiftly up to him and stood, very pale, in the faint starlight
that shone between the broken clouds. A knitted shawl was over her
shoulders, but her head was bare and her hair made a glow around her face.
Her eyes entreated him before she spoke.
"Oh, Dan, come back," she pleaded.
He laughed angrily and shook his head.
"I'll die first, Betty," he repeated. "Die! I'd die a hundred times first!"
"He is so old," she said appealingly. "It is not as if he were young and
quite himself, Dan--Oh, it is not like that--but he loves you, and he is so
old.
Pages:
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209